The School Counseling Track prepares graduate counseling students to work with students (EC to grade 12) in schools, as well as consult with teachers and parents.  This degree track is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

Benefits of the School Counseling Concentration

  1. We offer more than the typical amount of clinical training, so that school counselors are prepared to address children’s significant mental health issues. 
  2. School counselors who take our 60-hour concentration will have completed all coursework necessary to become a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate after graduation. 
  3. The positive reputation of the TXST School Counseling program will assist you in obtaining a job. We often receive requests from school districts wishing to hire our graduates.

Clinical Settings for School Counseling

School counselors typically work in the following settings:

  • public schools - Pre-K, elementary, middle, and high school (EC-12)
  • private or charter schools - Pre-K, elementary, middle, and high school (EC-12)
  • private practice - play therapy, counseling adolescents, parent consultations, adult counseling
  • community agencies - Communities In Schools, non-profit agencies
Expand FAQ List

  • Frequently Asked Questions

    • The time to completion varies from student to student, based on their outside commitments and successful progress through the 60 hours required to complete the degree.  This makes advising a critical process in the successful completion of the program.  

    • School Counselors are always needed and make a difference in the lives of children and families. Approximately 20% of school age children can be diagnosed with mental illness and only about 20% of them receive mental health support.  School Counselors can bridge that gap as well as provide preventive services.  The School Counseling Track also prepares you for LPC Associate licensure.  As an LPC, you can also work in community settings and private practice.

    • For decades in Texas, this has been true. Until 8/31/23, you need to have two years of teaching experience in a K-12 setting to become certified as a school counselor in Texas.

      On 6/2/23, the Governor signed Senate Bill 798, amending the Texas Education Code effective September 1, 2023:  Sec. 21.0462. The qualifications for certification as a school counselor may not include a requirement that a candidate for certification have experience as a classroom teacher.

      In 2024, the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) promulgated the rules necessary to implement the change to Section 21.0462.  These rules have been incorporated into the School Counselor Certification process within the Professional Counseling Program.

Licensure

Students in the School Counseling (60-hour) concentration complete academic requirements to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). The LPC is a clinical license that demonstrates that a practitioner has sufficient knowledge, clinical practice, and supervision to work with individuals dealing with mental health issues in private practice and clinical settings. The LPC is regulated by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors (also referred to as the "LPC Board"). During the Professional Counseling program, student must:

  • Complete all courses on the CMHC track, 
  • Complete all clinical courses, and
  • Apply for and take the National Counselor Exam. (You can take the NCE after graduation, if you choose.) Review our NCE page for more information about this exam.

After graduation, students have additional requirements in order to become an LPC. These include:

  • Apply for LPC Associate licensure with the LPC Board.
  • Find an LPC-Supervisor to meet with on a weekly basis to supervise post-graduate clinical hours for licensure.
  • If haven't already, apply for and take the National Counselor Exam. If you take the NCE after graduation, you will have to apply through the LPC Board, and NBCC, not Texas State University.
  • Complete 3,000 post-graduate clinical hours under the supervision of an LPC-Supervisor. The clinical hours include:
    • 1,500 direct counseling hours
    • 1,500 indirect hours (e.g., supervision, case notes, professional development)
  • Turn in all required documents to the LPC Board to upgrade from LPC Associate to LPC licensure.

Texas State University has not determined whether completion of the M.A. in Professional Counseling meets all of the requirements to apply for a license, certification, or endorsement in all other states. 

School Counseling Faculty

The School Counseling faculty want to support you in the School Counseling degree track! Please contact your advisor to set up a time to discuss your degree plan.

Dr. Jennifer Greene-Rooks, SC Track Coordinator 
Dr. Sarah Blalock